Why were the Irish given five senses? Clearly, to enjoy life at its best! Have a look at this video to see how ‘a pint of plain’ really is yer only man!
So what has all this got to do with NLP?
The video starts with a bell ringing. This sound is like the sound of the Angelus, thereby getting you to think that something important, even reverential in a religious context, is happening. Auditory anchor.
From there, it moves to the first sound of the gush of the beer being pulled before you have the customer give the nod, almost suggesting that your local barman pulls your pint as soon as he sees you enter without you having to ask for it. The nod creates an air of familiarity and trust, words don’t need to be spoken to get the message across, such is the level of confidence between the customer and the person behind the bar. Visual anchor.
There is another visual anchor with a frame of a pint being pulled. When I see this part, it reminds me of the typical debate of how to pull a good pint, where do they pull the best pint, etc., etc. Internal Dialogue Anchor. Then there is a frame of the ear moving before the clip goes into a picture of a cascade of the cream coming up to the top of the pint. This is probably meant to be a sign of nervous anticipation. Kinaesthetic anchor.
Next come the words ‘The Cascade’. This is a visual message to create an auditory anchor, the sounds of liquid gushing. That is what you hear next, the gushing of the Guinness as it begins to reach the top of the glass. Visual and Auditory anchors.
From there, you find a frame of the pupil of an eye slowly opening up to let more light in. Visual Anchor. The pint is on the way!!
Then the words ‘The Wait’ appear. This is followed by a frame of a man touching his chin, coupled with the sound of his hands as it glides across the stubble. Kinaesthetic and Auditory anchors. Then there is a frame of a bead of sweat going down the man’s forehead. This highlights anticipation, nervousness and thirst. Kinaesthetic and probably internal dialogue anchors.
Next up is a couple of frames with three different people turning their heads, point being that this event is noteworthy of attention. Visual and Kinaesthetic anchors.
The man then goes to pick up his pint before the words ‘The First Sip’ come up on the screen. So we get to taste!! Gustatory Anchor. This sense is anchored further by the frame with the froth on the man’s lip and the tongue as it goes across the clean the froth and gives a sense of satisfaction.
The clip continues with the words ‘Why Man Was Given Five Senses’, with an eerie, almost monk-like semi chant (Auditory anchor, linking back to the bell sound at the beginning of the clip) before a picture of a pint of Guinness with a sip taken out of it, (visual anchor), finally appears and the words ‘The Perfect Pint’ underneath. Visual and probably internal dialogue anchors.
So clearly, with the senses, just like pulling a good pint, it’s all a matter of having the right mix!
Séamus
